Letteratura scientifica selezionata sul tema "External signal"

Abstract In control systems, external analog signals need to be converted into digital signals. When sampling external input analog signals, such as voltage or current, it is necessary to process the small analog signal amplification or large signal reduction to the digital signal that can be sampled normally by the ADC; at the same time, the complexity of the external environment will affect the accuracy of sampling, and the input and output isolation processing needs to be carried out. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of low sampling accuracy of analog signal ADC in complex environment, this paper proposes an analog signal isolation conditioning circuit, which can filter out the high-frequency noise in the input signal without affecting the rapid sampling of the ADC, and use two-stage operation amplification to perform gain and zero compensation processing, so that the conditioned signal has high accuracy, good linearity, and strong anti-interference ability, which meets the design requirements. Through functional and stress tests, the functional correctness and performance stability of the analog signal isolation conditioning circuit proposed in this paper are verified.

An intrusion behavior recognition method based on deep learning is proposed in this paper in order to improve the recognition accuracy of raster perimeter intrusion behavior. The Mach–Zehnder fiber optic interferometer was used to collect the external vibration signal sensing unit, capture the external vibration signal, use the cross-correlation characteristic method to obtain the minimum frame length of the fiber vibration signal, and preprocess the intrusion signal according to the signal strength. The intrusion signals were superimposed and several sections of signals were intercepted by fixed window length; the spectrum information is obtained by Fourier transform of the intercepted stationary signals. The convolution neural network was introduced into the pattern recognition of the intrusion signals in the optical fiber perimeter defense zone, and the different characteristics of the intrusion signals were extracted, so as to realize the accurate identification of different intrusion signals. Experimental results showed that this method was highly sensitive to intrusion events, could effectively reduce the false alarm rate of intrusion signals, and could improve the accuracy and efficiency of intrusion signal recognition.

An empirical mathematical model is proposed to describe the response (growth rate, metabolic activity etc.) of a cell population to various intensities of an external signal (hormone, antibody, pharmacon etc.). The model is based on the assumption that the signal causes the target system to pass consecutively through i=1, …, N distinct population states having response coefficients Ri. Describing the interaction of the system with the signal according to the rules of chemical kinetics by two phenomenological parameters (k - sensitivity, n - cooperativity index) one arrives at a series expansion for Ri which is linear in the Ri’s but nonlinear with respect to k and n (“R-decomposition”). The pattern of expansion coefficients Ri is characteristic of a given signal and can be used to reveal similarities in the responses of the cell population to various signals. A user-friendly microcomputer program has been developed to fit the model equation to experimental data by means of constraint nonlinear regression analysis and to determine all characteristic curve parameters (number and location of extremal values, inflection points etc.). The robustness and benefit of the model is demonstrated by applications to various types of “exotic” dose-reponse-curves obtained from a neutral-red assay of fibroblasts. Similarities between response curves are studied.

Much of the discussion of voluntary disclosure of external capital in annual reports entails only limited examination as signals for capital accumulation. Using the method of content analysis, this paper examines the signalling of external capital disclosure practices, the most disclosed category of intellectual capital, in annual reports of a sample of listed firms in Sri Lanka, a developing nation. Eleven case study interviews from the sample firms explore the role of signal for capital accumulation. Findings reveal that signals differ between industry sectors in convincing stakeholders to advance capital accumulation

Electrical signals are generated and transmitted through plants in response to stimuli caused by external environment factors, such as touching, luminosity, and leaf burning. By analyzing a specific plant’s electrical responses, it is possible to interpret the impact of external aspects in the plasma membrane potential and, thus, determine the cause of the electrical signal. Moreover, these signals permit the whole plant structure to be informed almost instantaneously. This work presents a brief discussion of plants electrophysiology theory and low-cost signal conditioning circuits, which are necessary for the acquisition of plants’ electrical signals. Two signal conditioning circuits, which must be chosen depending on the signal to be measured, are explained in detail and electrical simulation results, performed in OrCAD Capture Software are presented. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate the impact of components variations on the accuracy and efficiency of the signal conditioning circuits. Those simulations showed that, even after possible component variations, the filters’ cut-off frequencies had at most 4% variation from the mean.

Abstract The transformer is the key equipment in the power system, and partial discharge is the main reason for the deterioration of the insulation of the transformer. The existing partial discharge detection method cannot determine whether the discharge comes from the transformer body or the peripheral equipment of the transformer when the discharge signal is detected. In order to study the difference between the internal and external partial discharges of the transformer received signals at the detection end and form an effective positioning method, this paper injects high frequency small signals into the external leads, inside the windings and surrounding screens of the 110kV three-phase double-winding transformer to simulate the external discharge of the transformer, the discharge inside and outside of the windings. The research shows that the first wave polarity of the external discharge and the internal non-winding discharge of the transformer is the same at each detection terminal, and the first wave polarity of the winding discharge signal at each detection terminal is different. The polarity information can be used to judge whether the winding discharges; the external discharge is the same as the transformer internal discharge. Non-winding discharge has different proportions of high-frequency and low-frequency components in each detection terminal signal. The signal energy of each detection terminal of external discharge is concentrated in low frequency, and the signal energy of each detection terminal of non-winding discharge inside the transformer is concentrated in high frequency, which can be judged by frequency domain information. The external discharge and the internal non-winding discharge of the transformer provide a reference for the research on the multi-terminal detection and positioning of the transformer.

We introduce a new class of random “neural” networks in which signals are either negative or positive. A positive signal arriving at a neuron increases its total signal count or potential by one; a negative signal reduces it by one if the potential is positive, and has no effect if it is zero. When its potential is positive, a neuron “fires,” sending positive or negative signals at random intervals to neurons or to the outside. Positive signals represent excitatory signals and negative signals represent inhibition. We show that this model, with exponential signal emission intervals, Poisson external signal arrivals, and Markovian signal movements between neurons, has a product form leading to simple analytical expressions for the system state.

Plants have sensing mechanisms which are employed to monitor their environment for optimal growth. This sensing mechanism can be observed by the change in behaviour in plants like Mimosa pudica (Touch Me Not) which closes its leaves when touched or Dionaea muscipula (Venus Flytrap) which closes its trap when an insect gets in it. It has been established that plants produce an electrical signal response to stimuli that is used to control various physiological phenomena within the plant. If such electrical signals are extracted and analysed, information about the external stimuli which caused the electrical signal may be found. If such an analysis is successful, then plants can be used as a living multiple stimuli sensor. This work explores the possibility of extracting information from the plant electrical signal response to the external stimuli which caused the plant to produce such a signal. Initially, the plant was treated as a black box system and a simple input (light pulse as stimulus) – output (electrical signal response) system was modelled through system identification techniques. Thereafter, an inverse system was modelled for input (electrical signal response) – output (light pulse as stimulus) to find out if there exists, within the plant’s electrical signals, adequate information about the time of application and the intensity of the applied stimulus. Next, classification methods were employed to find out if there was adequate information, within the raw plant electrical signal response, about the type of stimulus applied to the plants. More complex stimuli such as Sulphuric acid, Ozone and Sodium chloride solutions were applied to the plants to find out if the plant electrical signal response could be used to classify these stimuli in a binary classification scenario. Discriminant analysis based classifiers were employed along with simple statistical features which produced classification accuracy of around 70%. A decision tree based classification strategy was then explored, using discriminant analysis lassifiers and statistical features, in a multiclass classification strategy with the aim of enhancing classification accuracy. This exploration involved more datasets which enabled a prospective study (separate data held out) to be carried out to see the results in a more realistic scenario. The decision tree based classification system produced an accuracy of around 90% for both retrospective and prospective studies. In this work, both raw and filtered signals were used, of which the raw signals produced marginally better results than the filtered ones. Lastly, curve fitting coefficients were explored for classification of stimuli by fitting four different curves to raw plant electrical signals. Classification accuracy of around 90% was achieved during the retrospective study by using polynomial curve fit coefficients. This enabled features to be extracted from the entire duration of the time series rather than small segments of it, in order to see if classification accuracy improved.

Il Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) è un esperimento il cui scopo è di studiare il fenomeno delle oscillazioni dei neutrini. Sarà composto da un sistema di Near Detector (ND), situato a poche centinaia di metri dalla sorgente di neutrini al Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL, Fermilab), e da un sistema di Far Detector (FD) composto da quattro LArTPC con una massa fiduciale di decine di migliaia di tonnellate, situato al sito Sandford Underground Research Facility (South Dakota) distante 1300 km dalla sorgente del fascio. Il System for on-Axis Neutrino Detection (SAND), che sarà uno dei tre rivelatori del sistema di Near Detector, avrà come scopo principale quello di caratterizzare e monitorare il fascio di neutrini. A tale scopo è essenziale essere in grado di distinguere le interazioni di neutrino che hanno luogo nella regione interna del rivelatore SAND da fondo dovuto ad eventi esterni. Questo lavoro di tesi è finalizzato alla definizione, implementazione e valutazione di strategie per l’identificazione di interazioni di neutrino avvenute all’interno del rivelatore SAND. Inoltre, valuto le loro prestazioni in termini di purezza e del rapporto segnale su fondo. L’identificazione si basa sia sulla topologia dell’evento e sulla ricostruzione della posizione del vertice dell’interazione del neutrino, sia sullo sfruttamento delle informazioni temporali dell’evento.

La prévision de séries temporelles est un problème mathématique répandu dans de nombreux secteurs, devenant un véritable défi pour les méthodes existantes de la littérature lorsque de grands ensembles de données rassemblant des milliers de séries temporelles et des signaux externes sont considérés. Une illustration concrète de ce problème peut être trouvée dans l'industrie de la mode où ses acteurs tentent d'anticiper l'évolution de milliers de vêtements pour créer leurs collections, analysant les comportements des influenceurs pour proposer la mode de demain.En utilisant cette application comme fil conducteur, nous présentons trois contributions explorant différentes réponses concernant le problème de prévision de séries temporelles où de grands ensembles de données et des signaux externes sont considérés. Une première réponse est proposée avec l'introduction d'un nouveau modèle hybride et la publication d'un large ensemble de données rassemblant 10000 séries temporelles de mode et des signaux externes d'influenceurs. Une seconde approche est ensuite étudiée avec un travail théorique sur les modèles de Markov cachés à signaux externes. Enfin, une dernière réponse est proposée avec l'introduction d'une nouvelle méthode mélangeant le fonctionnement interne des modèles de Markov cachés avec des réseaux de neurones.Les résultats présentés dans ces trois contributions ont mis en évidence plusieurs éléments de réponse. Premièrement, les réseaux de neurones sont décisifs pour traiter de grands ensembles de données et sont particulièrement bien conçus pour exploiter des signaux externes. Deuxièmement, les modèles de Markov cachés avec signaux externes sont également des méthodes efficaces, capables de capturer des dépendances complexes entre des séries temporelles et leurs signaux externes. Cependant, ils ne parviennent pas à gérer de grands ensembles de données car un modèle doit être entraîné pour chaque nouvelle série temporelle. Enfin, inspirés par les résultats frappants des modèles de Markov cachés avec des signaux externes, nous montrons que l'introduction de processus cachés dans des modèles basés sur des réseaux neuronaux peut les aider à explorer plus profondément les grands ensembles de données, à modéliser une plus grande variété de comportements et à exploiter plus finement les signaux externes
Time series forecasting is a widespread mathematical problem in numerous sectors becoming a real challenge for existing methods of the literature where large datasets gathering thousands of time series and external signals are considered. A concrete illustration of this issue can be find in the fashion industry where its actors try to anticipate the evolution of thousands of garments to create their collections, analysing influencers and early adopters behaviours to propose the fashion of tomorrow.Using this application as a common thread, we present three contributions exploring different answers regarding the time series forecasting problem where large datasets and external signals are considered. A first answer is proposed with the introduction of a new hybrid model and the publication of a large dataset gathering 10000 fashion time series and influencers external signals. A second approach is then studied with theoretical work done on hidden Markov models with external signals. Finally, a last answer is proposed with the introduction of a new method mixing the inner workings of hidden Markov model and neural networks.Results presented in this three contribution highlighted several elements of answer. Firstly, neural networks are decisive to deal with large datasets and they are particularly well designed to leverage external signals. Secondly, hidden Markov models with external signals are also strong methods that can capture complex dependencies between time series and their external signals. However, they fail at handling large datasets as a model has to be trained for each new time series. Finally, inspired by the striking results of hidden Markov models with external signals, we reveal that introducing hidden processes in neural-network-based models can help them explore large datasets more deeply, model a richer variety of behaviour and leverage more finely external signals

L’orientation du fuseau mitotique est un processus clé qui est conservé des levures aux cellules animales. Il est essentiel pour la destinée cellulaire, pour le développement et pour l’organisation des tissues. Dans des cellules animales, il est généralement accepté que des stimuli externes polarisent le cortex d’actine, et que cette polarisation est ensuite transmise au fuseau mitotique et guide son positionnement. Au cours de ma thèse, j’ai étudié l’influence des forces extracellulaires sur l’orientation du fuseau mitotique dans des cellules mammifères en culture. Nous avons pu montrer que ces forces extracellulaires, transmises au corps cellulaire mitotique par l’intermédiaire des fibres de rétraction, étaient capables de diriger l’orientation du fuseau. Nous avons donc identifié une fonction nouvelle pour la mécano-transduction - la conversion de forces mécanique en signaux biochimiques qui finalement induisent une réponse cellulaire - pendant la mitose. Ces découvertes démontrent également que les signaux de polarisation biochimiques – qui ont été beaucoup étudiés par le passé – ne sont pas les seuls signaux régulant l’orientation du fuseau. Par ailleurs, nous avons pu montrer que le cortex d’actine était mécaniquement polarisé pendant la mitose: un quadrant du cortex était très souvent jusqu’à deux fois plus rigide que les trois autres quadrants. Le fuseau mitotique était aligné le long de ce gradient de rigidité avec un pole du fuseau apposé au quadrant le plus dur, un comportement qui a été également prédit par des simulations effectuées dans l’équipe de François Nedelec
In mitosis, positioning of the microtubule spindle represents a key process that is conserved from yeast to animal cells. It is essential for cell fate, development and tissue organization and perturbations of this process can have as dramatic effects as uncontrolled cell dissemination and death of the whole organism. In animal cells, external stimuli are thought to polarize the actin cortex, and this polarization is subsequently transduced to the microtubule spindle leading to its positioning. During my thesis, I studied the influence of extracellular pulling forces on mitotic spindle orientation in cultured cells. We demonstrated that these extracellular forces that were transmitted to the mitotic cell body via retraction fibres could direct spindle positioning. We thus identified a novel function for mechanotransduction, i. E. The conversion of mechanical forces into biochemical signals that finally induce a cellular response, in the context of mitotic spindle positioning. These findings additionally demonstrate that biochemical cues -predominantly investigated by previous studies - are not the only important signals regulating spindle positioning. We could furthermore show that the actin cortex is mechanically polarized during mitosis: one cortex quadrant was often up to twice stiffer than the remaining three quadrants. The mitotic spindle appeared to be aligned with this stiffness gradient, one pole facing the stiffest quadrant. Simulations of spindle dynamics, performed in the group of François Nedelec, could predict this observed behaviour when using our measured parameters for cortical rigidity and microtubule dynamics

The Periodic Event Synchronization Unit aligns devices without the ability to be triggered by an external source. The primary function of the unit is to align the pattern trigger pulses of two pulse pattern generators which supply four inputs of a multiplexer. The pulse pattern generators lack the ability to start their code according to an external signal. When operating, the designed unit maintains a specific pattern alignment of two binary data streams of 5 gigabits per second as a multiplexer combines them into a data stream of four times the bit rate. In addition to alignment, the unit can introduce offsets of up to 50 nanoseconds to the pattern alignment which corresponds to 250 bits. The unit is designed to allow the alignment of other devices as well, requiring as input the two event signals of the same frequency which need to be aligned. In order to align the devices providing the event pulses, one of the devices must either accept an external clocking source or have the ability to frequency modulate the internal clock. In practice, the test system was able to achieve and maintain the desired signal characteristics from the output of the multiplexer. The unit's robust design is shown by providing alignment of patterns for the full operating range of the pulse pattern generators and allowing a generator pattern to be aligned to a generic event pulse. Use of multiple units allows alignment of additional devices. The development of the Periodic Event Synchronization Unit provided an inexpensive solution to creating very high bit rate signals using preexisting equipment, as no commercial products were found to accomplish the same function.

CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO
TELECOMUNICAÇÕES BRASILEIRAS S/A
A interação entre dois lasers semicondutores operando em regime de chaveamento de ganho foi estudada, em função do comprimento de onda e das condições de operação de cada um. Mostrou-se que um laser netas condições pode operar como um detetor com resolução de até alguns picossegundos, num sistema de amostragem óptica.
The interaction of two gain-switched semiconductor lasers was studied as a function of wavelength and operation condition of each one. It has been shown that a laser under these conditions can function as a detector with time-resolution up to a few picoseconds for an optical sampling system.

There are many types of bio-signals with various control application prospects. This dissertation regards possible application domain of electroencephalographic signal. The implementation of EEG signals, as a source of information used for control of external devices, became recently a growing concern in the scientific world. Application of electroencephalographic signals in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) (variant of Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI)) as an implement, which enables direct and fast communication between the human brain and an external device, has become recently very popular. Currently available on the market, BCI solutions require complex signal processing methodology, which results in the need of an expensive equipment with high computing power. In this work, a study on using various types of EEG equipment in order to apply the most appropriate one was conducted. The analysis of EEG signals is very complex due to the presence of various internal and external artifacts. The signals are also sensitive to disturbances and non-stochastic, what makes the analysis a complicated task. The research was performed on customised (built by the author of this dissertation) equipment, on professional medical device and on Emotiv EPOC headset. This work concentrated on application of an inexpensive, easy to use, Emotiv EPOC headset as a tool for gaining EEG signals. The project also involved application of embedded system platform - TS-7260. That solution caused limits in choosing an appropriate signal processing method, as embedded platforms characterise with a little efficiency and low computing power. That aspect was the most challenging part of the whole work. Implementation of the embedded platform enables to extend the possible future application of the proposed BCI. It also gives more flexibility, as the platform is able to simulate various environments. The study did not involve the use of traditional statistical or complex signal processing methods. The novelty of the solution relied on implementation of the basic mathematical operations. The efficiency of this method was also presented in this dissertation. Another important aspect of the conducted study is that the research was carried out not only in a laboratory, but also in an environment reflecting real-life conditions. The results proved efficiency and suitability of the implementation of the proposed solution in real-life environments. The further study will focus on improvement of the signal-processing method and application of other bio-signals - in order to extend the possible applicability and ameliorate its effectiveness.

Le cancer de la prostate est l'un des cancers les plus fréquents chez l'homme. L'un des traitements standard est la radiothérapie externe, qui consiste à délivrer un rayonnement d'ionisation à une cible clinique, en l'occurrence la prostate et les vésicules séminales. Les objectifs de la radiothérapie externe sont la délivrance d'une dose d'irradiation maximale à la tumeur tout en épargnant les organes voisins (principalement le rectum et la vessie) pour éviter des complications suite au traitement. Comprendre les relations dose/toxicité est une question centrale pour améliorer la fiabilité du traitement à l'étape de planification inverse. Des modèles prédictifs de toxicité pour le calcul des probabilités de complications des tissus sains (normal tissue complication probability, NTCP) ont été développés afin de prédire les événements de toxicité en utilisant des données dosimétriques. Les principales informations considérées sont les histogrammes dose-volume (HDV), qui fournissent une représentation globale de la distribution de dose en fonction de la dose délivrée par rapport au pourcentage du volume d'organe. Cependant, les modèles actuels présentent certaines limitations car ils ne sont pas totalement optimisés; la plupart d'entre eux ne prennent pas en compte les informations non-dosimétrique (les caractéristiques spécifiques aux patients, à la tumeur et au traitement). De plus, ils ne fournissent aucune compréhension des relations locales entre la dose et l'effet (dose-espace/effet relations) car ils n'exploitent pas l'information riche des distributions de planification de dose 3D. Dans un contexte de prédiction de l'apparition de saignement rectaux suite au traitement du cancer de la prostate par radiothérapie externe, les objectifs de cette thèse sont : i) d'extraire des informations pertinentes à partir de l'HDV et des variables non-dosimétriques, afin d'améliorer les modèles NTCP existants et ii) d'analyser les corrélations spatiales entre la dose locale et les effets secondaires permettant une caractérisation de la distribution de dose 3D à l'échelle de l'organe. Ainsi, les stratégies visant à exploiter les informations provenant de la planification (distributions de dose 3D et HDV) ont été proposées. Tout d'abord, en utilisant l'analyse en composantes indépendantes, un nouveau modèle prédictif de l'apparition de saignements rectaux, combinant d'une manière originale l'information dosimétrique et non-dosimétrique, a été proposé. Deuxièmement, nous avons mis au point de nouvelles approches visant à prendre conjointement profit des distributions de dose de planification 3D permettant de déceler la corrélation subtile entre la dose locale et les effets secondaires pour classer et/ou prédire les patients à risque de souffrir d'un saignement rectal, et d'identifier les régions qui peuvent être à l'origine de cet événement indésirable. Plus précisément, nous avons proposé trois méthodes stochastiques basées sur analyse en composantes principales, l'analyse en composantes indépendantes et la factorisation discriminante en matrices non-négatives, et une méthode déterministe basée sur la décomposition polyadique canonique de tableaux d'ordre 4 contenant la dose planifiée. Les résultats obtenus montrent que nos nouvelles approches présentent de meilleures performances générales que les méthodes prédictives de la littérature
Prostate cancer is among the most common types of cancer worldwide. One of the standard treatments is external radiotherapy, which involves delivering ionizing radiation to a clinical target, in this instance the prostate and seminal vesicles. The goal of radiotherapy is to achieve a maximal local control while sparing neighboring organs (mainly the rectum and the bladder) to avoid normal tissue complications. Understanding the dose/toxicity relationships is a central question for improving treatment reliability at the inverse planning step. Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) toxicity prediction models have been developed in order to predict toxicity events using dosimetric data. The main considered information are dose-volume histograms (DVH), which provide an overall representation of dose distribution based on the dose delivered per percentage of organ volume. Nevertheless, current dose-based models display limitations as they are not fully optimized; most of them do not include additional non-dosimetric information (patient, tumor and treatment characteristics). Furthermore, they do not provide any understanding of local relationships between dose and effect (dose-space/effect relationship) as they do not exploit the rich information from the 3D planning dose distributions. In the context of rectal bleeding prediction after prostate cancer external beam radiotherapy, the objectives of this thesis are: i) to extract relevant information from DVH and non-dosimetric variables, in order to improve existing NTCP models and ii) to analyze the spatial correlations between local dose and side effects allowing a characterization of 3D dose distribution at a sub-organ level. Thus, strategies aimed at exploiting the information from the radiotherapy planning (DVH and 3D planned dose distributions) were proposed. Firstly, based on independent component analysis, a new model for rectal bleeding prediction by combining dosimetric and non-dosimetric information in an original manner was proposed. Secondly, we have developed new approaches aimed at jointly taking advantage of the 3D planning dose distributions that may unravel the subtle correlation between local dose and side effects to classify and/or predict patients at risk of suffering from rectal bleeding, and identify regions which may be at the origin of this adverse event. More precisely, we proposed three stochastic methods based on principal component analysis, independent component analysis and discriminant nonnegative matrix factorization, and one deterministic method based on canonical polyadic decomposition of fourth order array containing planned dose. The obtained results show that our new approaches exhibit in general better performances than state-of-the-art predictive methods

This diploma thesis is devoted to the design of a laboratory measurement tool with DAC converter for audio and low frequency signals. In the introduction part a theoretical background of the ADC and DAC conversions are outlined. In the next chapters the technical solution of the laboratory converter is presented, including DAC with integrated circuit AD1852 and completed with digital audio receiver CS8416. This circuit secures compatibility with external audio devices with digital interfaces, like SPDIF or AES3. The digital receiver and audio DAC are added with serial communication interface for setup of the most audio and input parameters. This setup is operated by external microcontroller ATmega32 and original firmware. The thesis presents block diagram and schematic layout of the laboratory converter, including complete technical documentation for the construction and design.

The increasing number of electric and hybrid vehicles in urban areas has shown to be beneficial in reducing both air and noise pollution. However, the lack of sound when driving at low speed has negatively affected the pedestrian safety since many rely on the vehicle sound for orientation. Regulatory bodies have therefore introduced minimum sound requirements for all silent vehicles, which has resulted in a key challenge for car manufacturers to develop external warning signature sounds. The objective of this project has been to study how these signals should sound in order to fit the image of electric and hybrid vehicles and minimize noise and annoyance. To complete the study, five sound concepts with different characteristics and rhythms were developed using the concept generation process. In order to gain subjective impressions of the sounds, three measurement methods were utilized. The first listening test was performed to eliminate the possibility that the sound samples would be perceived variously loud in the upcoming tests. The second listening test was performed to gain information on how suitable the signals are for electric and hybrid vehicles, and the third listening test was conducted to obtain information on how much annoyance the signals contributed with. A reference signal representing an internal combustion engine was included in the tests as well. The results of the measurement methods showed that the sound samples with long tone sequences were more preferred than those with short tone sequences, and that the artificial approach was more popular than the sound of an internal combustion engine vehicle. It was also established that additional tests need to be performed in order to confirm that these results are valid. It was suggested that field tests should be conducted and that new sound concepts should be developed based on the results of these tests.

This chapter shows how stylistic signals can be derived from high-frequency features and how the usage, or nonusage, of those features was susceptible to influences that are external to the so-called “authorial style,” external influences such as genre, time, and gender. These aspects of style were explored using a controlled corpus of 106 British novels where genre was a key point of analysis. The chapter first provides an overview of statistical or quantitative authorship attribution before discussing the author's project, in which he analyzed the degree to which novelistic genres express a distinguishable stylistic signal by focusing on the distribution of novels in a corpus based on their genres and decades of publication. Through a series of experiments, he demonstrates the use of the classification methodology as a way of measuring the extent to which factors beyond an individual author's personal style may play a role in determining the linguistic usage and style of the resulting text.

This chapter focuses on magnetoencephalography (MEG) used in brain imaging and its use in localizing the brain sources of externally recorded spontaneous activity and stimulus and task –induced activation. The chapter first describes the instruments used for recording the magnetoencephalographic signals and the neurogenesis of these signals. It then considers proposed solutions for the “inverse” problem and describes approaches for MEG source estimation, including a method that specifies only one or many equivalent current dipoles. It also explains the signal source-localizing technique known as beamforming and concluding with a discussion of practical issues in MEG/MSI, with emphasis on those arising in clinical applications of the method.

Malformations of the external ear may signal renal disease, but it is actually the disorders of the inner ear which reflect molecular pathways that are also crucial for kidney development. In a number of monogenic renal diseases, renal dysplasia is associated with deafness. Disorders of the kidney and inner ear are also linked in complex syndromes such as the human ciliopathies. In some cases, the loss of specific genes affects shared transport physiology, basement membrane assembly, or energy metabolism.The kidney and cochlea have a common susceptibility to toxins that are selectively concentrated by comparable uptake mechanisms in the two tissues.This chapter provides an overview of the many ways in which pathologies of the two organs are linked.

Some ways that identity of the referents of two signs may be marked is by recurrence of the same sign design (“duplicates markers”), by use of the same sign token over again (“Strawson markers”), and by various anaphorical relations (anaphors). Strawson markers, of which “mental files” are an example, are of particular interest, their occurrence or use very significantly reducing the number of separate signs needed to represent complex states of affairs, hence, the number of inferences that must be drawn to extract the consequences of a set of premises. What a sign gives information about, however, is sometimes shown not just in elements of its sign design but in an external relation of the sign to its signified. Thus, a volt meter shows the voltage between the terminals to which its leads are connected.

How much does stimulus input shape perception? The common-sense view is that our perceptions are representations of objects and their features and that the stimulus structures the perceptual object. The problem for this view concerns perceptual biases as responsible for distortions and the subjectivity of perceptual experience. These biases are increasingly studied as constitutive factors of brain processes in recent neuroscience. In neural network models the brain is said to cope with the plethora of sensory information by predicting stimulus regularities on the basis of previous experiences. Drawing on this development, this chapter analyses perceptions as processes. Looking at olfaction as a model system, it argues for the need to abandon a stimulus-centred perspective, where smells are thought of as stable percepts, computationally linked to external objects such as odorous molecules. Perception here is presented as a measure of changing signal ratios in an environment informed by expectancy effects from top-down processes.

AbstractThe signal acquired in sodium (23Na) MR imaging is proportional to the concentration of sodium in a voxel, and it is possible to convert between the two using external calibration phantoms. Postprocessing, and subsequent analysis, of sodium renal images is a simple task that can be performed with readily available software. Here we describe the process of conversion between sodium signal and concentration, estimation of the corticomedullary sodium gradient and the procedure used for quadrupolar relaxation analysis.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This analysis protocol chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the basic concept and experimental procedure.

We demonstrate a novel InSb optical switch that relies on an increasing absorption mechanism and uses only surface reflection. We have observed of external switching of the reflectivity of the InSb surface using a pump beam from a pulsed CO2 laser. The polarity of the switched-out signal was found to depend on the wavelength of the probe beam. For the same samples and the same experimental setup, all reflected signals from the visible probe beam were positive, whereas the signals switched out from near-infrared light were negative. We propose that this potentially useful effect is based on positive feedback in which the increasing absorption increases the local InSb temperature. The thermal coefficient of the refractive index also depends on the wavelength of radiation. This spectral-dependence effect has been applied to demonstrate optical AND, NAND, and NOR gates by using configurations of one probe with both one and two pump beams. The external switching of the surface reflection also exhibits the potential for parallel optical processing. Based on one pump beam, two probe beams with different wavelengths have been modulated simultaneously.

External coatings are routinely used to protect transmission pipelines from corrosion; however, coatings may degrade or disbond over time enabling corrosion to occur. Transmission pipeline operators often use magnetic flux leakage (MFL) in-line inspection tools to detect metal loss corrosion defects. Rather than finding the cause of a problem, failure of the coating within a corrosive environment, MFL corrosion surveys only find the result of the problem, corrosion defects that may permanently alter the pressure carrying capacity of the pipeline. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) can be detected using in-line inspection (ILI) technology, but the availability of tools is limited and the cost of inspection is high compared to MFL inspection. SCC almost always occurs at coating faults; direct coating assessment could indicate future problems that could degrade the serviceability of the pipeline. In this project, a new sensor was developed to assess external coating that could work with currently available ILI tools for minimal additional cost to perform the inspection. The sensors, electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs), generate ultrasonic waves that are guided by the pipe material around the circumference of the pipe. The coating material and adherence can influence the propagation of the ultrasonic waves; changes in ultrasonic signal features were attributed to coating faults. This development used modeling and experiments to establish a more optimal configuration for coating assessment. A multiple feature approach was used. A commonly used feature, signal amplitude, provided good sensitivity to coating condition but was influenced by inspection variables. One unique feature identified in this development is arrival time of the ultrasonic wave. For the wave type and frequency selected, the wave velocity was different for bare and coated pipe. Therefore, disbonded or missing coating can be detected by monitoring arrival time of the ultrasonic wave, a feature that is amplitude independent. Another feature for assessing coating, absorption of selective frequencies, was also demonstrated. Coating assessment capability was experimentally demonstrated using a prototype EMAT ILI tool. All three detection features were shown to perform well in an ILI environment as demonstrated at Battelle"s Pipeline Simulation Facility and BJ Inspection Services pull rigs. Improvement to the prototype occurred between each test; the most significant improvement was the design and construction of a novel set of thick-trace transmitting and receiving Printed Circuit Board (PCB) EMAT coils. Implementation variables such as moisture and soil loading were shown to have a minimal influence on results.

The coordination and regulation of growth and development in multicellular organisms is dependent, in part, on the controlled short and long-distance transport of signaling molecule: In plants, symplastic communication is provided by trans-wall co-axial membranous tunnels termed plasmodesmata (Pd). Plant viruses spread cell-to-cell by altering Pd. This movement scenario necessitates a targeting mechanism that delivers the virus to a Pd and a transport mechanism to move the virion or viral nucleic acid through the Pd channel. The identity of host proteins with which MP interacts, the mechanism of the targeting of the MP to the Pd and biochemical information on how Pd are alter are questions which have been dealt with during this BARD project. The research objectives of the two labs were to continue their biochemical, cellular and molecular studies of Pd composition and function by employing infectious modified clones of TMV in which MP is fused with GFP. We examined Pd composition, and studied the intra- and intercellular targeting mechanism of MP during the infection cycle. Most of the goals we set for ourselves were met. The Israeli PI and collaborators (Oparka et al., 1999) demonstrated that Pd permeability is under developmental control, that Pd in sink tissues indiscriminately traffic proteins of sizes of up to 50 kDa and that during the sink to source transition there is a substantial decrease in Pd permeability. It was shown that companion cells in source phloem tissue export proteins which traffic in phloem and which unload in sink tissue and move cell to cell. The TAU group employing MP:GFP as a fluorescence probe for optimized the procedure for Pd isolation. At least two proteins kinases found to be associated with Pd isolated from source leaves of N. benthamiana, one being a calcium dependent protein kinase. A number of proteins were microsequenced and identified. Polyclonal antibodies were generated against proteins in a purified Pd fraction. A T-7 phage display library was created and used to "biopan" for Pd genes using these antibodies. Selected isolates are being sequenced. The TAU group also examined whether the subcellular targeting of MP:GFP was dependent on processes that occurred only in the presence of the virus or whether targeting was a property indigenous to MP. Mutant non-functional movement proteins were also employed to study partial reactions. Subcellular targeting and movement were shown to be properties indigenous to MP and that these processes do not require other viral elements. The data also suggest post-translational modification of MP is required before the MP can move cell to cell. The USA group monitored the development of the infection and local movement of TMV in N. benthamiana, using viral constructs expressing GFP either fused to the MP of TMV or expressing GFP as a free protein. The fusion protein and/or the free GFP were expressed from either the movement protein subgenomic promoter or from the subgenomic promoter of the coat protein. Observations supported the hypothesis that expression from the cp sgp is regulated differently than expression from the mp sgp (Szecsi et al., 1999). Using immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, it was determined that paired wall-appressed bodies behind the leading edge of the fluorescent ring induced by TMV-(mp)-MP:GFP contain MP:GFP and the viral replicase. These data suggest that viral spread may be a consequence of the replication process. Observation point out that expression of proteins from the mp sgp is temporary regulated, and degradation of the proteins occurs rapidly or more slowly, depending on protein stability. It is suggested that the MP contains an external degradation signal that contributes to rapid degradation of the protein even if expressed from the constitutive cp sgp. Experiments conducted to determine whether the degradation of GFP and MP:GFP was regulated at the protein or RNA level, indicated that regulation was at the protein level. RNA accumulation in infected protoplast was not always in correlation with protein accumulation, indicating that other mechanisms together with RNA production determine the final intensity and stability of the fluorescent proteins.

Las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores se encuentran diseminadas por todo el mundo y producen tasas importantes de morbilidad y mortalidad dentro de las poblaciones humanas y animales. Las enfermedades transmitidas por garrapatas se encuentran dentro del marco de los síndromes febriles indiferenciados y, por lo tanto, se presentan principalmente con fiebre de inicio súbito, síntomas y signos poco específicos como malestar general, dolor de cabeza, mareo, mialgias, pérdida del apetito, que puede ser en algunos casos fatales. Colombia, por su ubicación geográfica, diversidad de reservorios, vectores y características climatológicas de predominio tropical reúne todas las condiciones que favorecen la diseminación de los vectores. Las garrapatas son vectores de gran importancia, ya que se adaptan con facilidad a los diferentes climas y son capaces de transmitir una gran variedad de microorganismos. Las enfermedades causadas por estos se mantienen en un ciclo enzoótico y endémico y, anualmente, pueden causar brotes, lo cual puede afectar a los humanos en un ciclo epidémico. Este reporte está asociado al proyecto “Estudio sobre ecoepidemiología de enfermedades transmitidas por vectores y enfermedades febriles indiferenciadas en el Caribe colombiano” (INV 2759) de convocatoria externa del 2019 y fue financiado por el IIBT de la Universidad de Córdoba.

The swelling of plant motor cells is regulated by various signals with almost unknown mediators. One of the obligatory steps in the signaling cascade is the activation of K+-influx channels -K+ channels activated by hyperpolarization (KH channels). We thus explored the regulation of these channels in our model system, motor cell protoplasts from Samanea saman, using patch-clamp in the "whole cell" configuration. (a) The most novel finding was that the activity of KH channels in situ varied with the time of the day, in positive correlation with cell swelling: in Extensor cells KH channels were active in the earlier part of the day, while in Flexor cells only during the later part of the day; (b) High internal pH promoted the activity of these channels in Extensor cells, opposite to the behavior of the equivalent channels in guard cells, but in conformity with the predicted behavior of the putative KH channel, cloned from S. saman recently; (c) HIgh external K+ concentration increased (KH channel currents in Flexor cells. BL depolarized the Flexor cells, as detected in cell-attached patch-clamp recording, using KD channels (the K+-efflux channels) as "voltage-sensing devices". Subsequent Red-Light (RL) pulse followed by Darkness, hyperpolarized the cell. We attribute these changes to the inhibition of the H+-pump by BL and its reactivation by RL, as they were abolished by an H+-pump inhibitor. BL increased also the activity KD channels, in a voltage-independent manner - in all probability by an independent signaling pathway. Blue-Light (BL), which stimulates shrinking of Flexor cells, evoked the IP3 signaling cascade (detected directly by IP3 binding assay), known to mobilize cytosolic Ca2+. Nevertheless, cytosolic Ca2+ . did not activate the KD channel in excised, inside-out patches. In this study we established a close functional similarity of the KD channels between Flexor and Extensior cells. Thus the differences in their responses must stem from different links to signaling in both cell types.

Until recently, environmental pH was not considered a factor in determining pathogen compatibility. Our hypothesis was that the environmental pH at the infection site, which is dynamically controlled by activities of both the host and the pathogen, regulates the expression of genes necessary for disease development in Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This form of regulation ensures that genes are expressed at optimal conditions for their encoded activities.Pectate lyase encoded by pelB, has been demonstrated to play a key role in virulence of C. gloeosporioides in avocado fruit. Polyglacturonase synergism with oxalic acid production is considered to be an essential pathogenicity determinant in the interactions of S. sclerotiorum with its numerous hosts. A common regulatory feature of these virulence and pathogenicity factors is their dependence upon environmental pH conditions within the host niche to create optimal conditions for expression and secretion. In this proposal we have examined, 1) the mechanisms employed by these fungi to establish a suitable pH environment, 2) the molecular levels at which genes and gene products are regulated in response to environmental pH, and 3) the molecular basis and functional importance of pH-responsive gene regulation during pathogenicity. The specific objectives of the proposal were: 1. Characterize the mechanism of local pH modulation and the effect of ambient pH on the expression and secretion of virulence factors. 2. Provide evidence that a conserved molecular pathway for pH-responsive gene expression exists in C. gloeosporioides by cloning a pacC gene homologue. 3. Determine the role of pacC in pathogenicity by gene disruption and activating mutations. Major conclusions 1. We determined the importance of nitrogen source and external pH in the secretion of the virulence factor pectate lyase with respect to the ambient pH transcriptional regulator pacC. It was concluded that nitrogen source availability and ambient pH are two independent signals for the transcriptional regulation of genes required for the disease process of C. gloeosporioides and possibly of other pathogens. 2. We also determined that availability of ammonia regulate independently the alkalinization process and pelB expression, pecate lyase secretion and virulence of C. gloeosporioides. 3. Gene disruption of pacC reduced virulence of C. gloeosporioides however did not reduced fully pelB expression. It was concluded that pelB expression is regulated by several factors including pH, nitrogen and carbon sources. 4. Gene disruption of pacC reduced virulence of S. slcerotiourum Creation of a dominant activating

1.1 Resumen macroeconómico En el segundo trimestre la economía enfrentó varios choques, principalmente de oferta y de costos, la mayoría de los cuales no fueron anticipados, o los previstos fueron más persistentes de lo esperado, y que en conjunto interrumpieron la recuperación de la actividad económica observada a comienzos de año y llevaron la inflación total a niveles superiores a la meta. La inflación básica (sin alimentos ni regulados: SAR) aumentó, pero se mantuvo baja y acorde con lo esperado por el equipo técnico. A comienzos de abril se inició una tercera ola de pandemia, más acentuada y prolongada que la anterior, con un elevado costo en vidas humanas y algún impacto negativo en la recuperación económica. Entre mayo y mediados de junio los bloqueos de las carreteras y los problemas de orden público tuvieron un fuerte efecto negativo sobre la actividad económica y la inflación. Se estima que la magnitud de estos dos choques combinados habría generado una caída en niveles en el producto interno bruto (PIB) con respecto al primer trimestre del año. Adicionalmente, los bloqueos causaron un aumento significativo de los precios de los alimentos. A estos choques se sumaron los efectos acumulados de la disrupción global en algunas cadenas de valor y el incremento en los fletes internacionales que desde finales de 2020 vienen generando restricciones de oferta y aumentos de costos. Todos estos factores, que afectaron principalmente el índice de precios al consumidor (IPC) de bienes y de alimentos, explicaron la mayor parte del error de pronóstico del equipo técnico y el aumento de la inflación total a niveles superiores a la meta del 3 %. El incremento en la inflación básica y de los precios de los regulados fue acorde con lo esperado por el equipo técnico, y se explica principalmente por la eliminación de varios alivios de precios otorgados un año atrás. A todo esto se suma la mayor percepción de riesgo soberano y las presiones al alza que esto implica sobre el costo de financiamiento externo y la tasa de cambio. A pesar de los fuertes choques negativos, el crecimiento económico esperado para la primera mitad del año (9,1%), es significativamente mayor que lo proyectado en el informe de abril (7,1%), signo de una economía más dinámica que se recuperaría más rápido de lo previsto. Desde finales de 2020 las diferentes cifras de actividad económica han mostrado un crecimiento mayor que el esperado. Esto sugiere que los efectos negativos sobre el producto de las recurrentes olas de contagio estarían siendo cada vez menos fuertes y duraderos. No obstante, la tercera ola de contagio del Covid-19, y en mayor medida los bloqueos a las vías y los problemas de orden público, habrían generado una caída del PIB durante el segundo trimestre, frente al primero. Pese a lo anterior, los datos del índice de seguimiento a la economía (ISE) de abril y mayo han resultado mayores que lo esperado, y las nuevas cifras de actividad económica sectoriales sugieren que el impacto negativo de la pandemia sobre el producto se sigue moderando, en un entorno de menores restricciones a la movilidad y de mayor avance en el ritmo de vacunación. Los registros de transporte de carga (junio) y la demanda de energía no regulada (julio), entre otros, indican una recuperación importante después de los bloqueos en mayo. Con todo lo anterior, el incremento anual del PIB del segundo trimestre se habría situado alrededor del 17,3 % (antes 15,8 %), explicado en gran parte por una base baja de comparación. Para todo 2021 el equipo técnico incrementó su proyección de crecimiento desde un 6 % hasta el 7,5 %. Este pronóstico, que está rodeado de una incertidumbre inusualmente elevada, supone que no se presentarán problemas de orden público y que posibles nuevas olas de contagio del Covid-19 no tendrán efectos negativos adicionales sobre la actividad económica. Frente al pronóstico del informe pasado, la recuperación de la demanda externa, los niveles de precios de algunos bienes básicos que exporta el país y la dinámica de las remesas de trabajadores han sido mejores que las esperadas y seguirían impulsando la recuperación del ingreso nacional en lo que resta del año. A esto se sumaría la aún amplia liquidez internacional, la aceleración en el proceso de vacunación y las bajas tasas de interés, factores que continuarían favoreciendo la actividad económica. La mejor dinámica del primer semestre, que llevó a una revisión al alza en el crecimiento de todos los componentes del gasto, continuaría hacia adelante y, antes de lo esperado en abril, la economía recuperaría los niveles de producción de 2019 a finales de 2021. El pronóstico continúa incluyendo efectos de corto plazo sobre la demanda agregada de una reforma tributaria de magnitud similar a la proyectada por el Gobierno. Con todo eso, en el escenario central de este informe, el pronóstico de crecimiento para 2021 es del 7,5 % y para 2022 del 3,1 %. A pesar de esto, el nivel de la actividad económica seguiría siendo inferior a su potencial. La mejora en estas proyecciones, sin embargo, está rodeada de una alta incertidumbre. En junio la inflación anual (3,63 %) aumentó más de lo esperado debido al comportamiento del grupo de alimentos, mientras que la inflación básica (1,87 %) fue similar a la proyectada. En lo que resta del año el mayor nivel del IPC de alimentos persistiría y contribuiría a mantener la inflación por encima de la meta. A finales de 2022 la inflación total y básica retornarían a tasas cercanas al 3 %, en un entorno de desaceleración del IPC de alimentos y de menores excesos de capacidad productiva. En los meses recientes el aumento en los precios internacionales de los fletes y de los bienes agrícolas, y las mayores exportaciones de carne y el ciclo ganadero han ejercido presiones al alza sobre el precio de los alimentos, principalmente de los procesados. A estas fuerzas persistentes se sumaron los bloqueos de las vías nacionales y los problemas de orden público en varias ciudades registrados en mayo y parte de junio, los cuales se reflejaron en una fuerte restricción en la oferta y en un aumento anual no esperado del IPC de alimentos (8,52 %). El grupo de regulados (5,93 %) también se aceleró, debido a la baja base de comparación en los precios de la gasolina y a la disolución de parte de los alivios a las tarifas de servicios públicos otorgados en 2020. Como se proyectaba, la inflación SAR repuntó al 1,87 %, debido a la reactivación de los impuestos indirectos de algunos bienes y servicios eliminados un año atrás, y por las presiones al alza que ejercieron los alimentos sobre las comidas fuera del hogar (CFH), entre otros. En lo que resta del año se espera que el aumento en los alimentos perecederos se revierta, siempre y cuando no se registren nuevos bloqueos duraderos a las vías nacionales. El mayor nivel de precios de los alimentos procesados persistiría y contribuiría a mantener la inflación por encima de la meta a finales de año. La inflación SAR continuaría con una tendencia creciente, en la medida en que los excesos de capacidad productiva se sigan cerrando y registraría un aumento transitorio en marzo de 2022, debido principalmente al restablecimiento del impuesto al consumo en las CFH. Con todo esto, para finales de 2021 y 2022 se estima una inflación total del 4,1 % y 3,1 %, y una inflación básica del 2,6 % y 3,2 %, respectivamente. El comportamiento conjunto de los precios del IPC SAR, junto con continuas sorpresas al alza en la actividad económica, son interpretados por el equipo técnico como señales de amplios excesos de capacidad productiva de la economía. Estos persistirían en los siguientes dos años, al final de los cuales la brecha del producto se cerraría. El mayor crecimiento económico sugiere una brecha del producto menos negativa que la estimada hace un trimestre. Sin embargo, el comportamiento de la inflación básica, especialmente en servicios, indica que el PIB potencial se ha recuperado de forma sorpresiva y que los excesos de capacidad siguen siendo amplios, con una demanda agregada afectada de forma persistente. Esta interpretación encuentra soporte en el mercado laboral, en donde persiste un desempleo alto y la recuperación de los empleos perdidos se estancó. Adicionalmente, los aumentos en la inflación en buena medida están explicados por choques de oferta y de costos y por la disolución de algunos alivios de precios otorgados un año atrás. Los pronósticos de crecimiento y de inflación descritos son coherentes con una brecha del producto que se cierra más rápido y es menos negativa en todo el horizonte de pronóstico con respecto al informe de abril. No obstante, la incertidumbre sobre los excesos de capacidad es muy alta y es un riesgo sobre el pronóstico. Las perspectivas de las cuentas fiscales de Colombia se deterioraron, Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) y Fitch Ratings (Fitch) redujeron su calificación crediticia, los bloqueos y problemas de orden público afectaron el producto y el país enfrentó una nueva ola de contagios de Covid-19 más acentuada y prolongada que las pasadas. Todo lo anterior se ha reflejado en un aumento de las primas de riesgo y en una depreciación del peso frente al dólar. Esto ha ocurrido en un entorno favorable de ingresos externos. Los precios internacionales del petróleo, del café y de otros bienes básicos que exporta el país aumentaron y han contribuido a la recuperación de los términos de intercambio y del ingreso nacional, y han mitigado las presiones al alza sobre las primas de riesgo y la tasa de cambio. En el presente informe se incrementó el precio esperado del petróleo para 2021 a USD 68 por barril (antes USD 61 bl) y para 2022 a USD 66 bl (antes USD 60 bl). Esta mayor senda presenta una convergencia hacia precios menores que los observados recientemente, como resultado de una mayor oferta mundial esperada de petróleo, la cual más que compensaría el incremento en la demanda de este bien básico. Por ende, se supone que el aumento reciente de los precios tiene un carácter transitorio. En el escenario macroeconómico actual se espera que las condiciones financieras internacionales sean algo menos favorables, a pesar de la mejora en los ingresos externos por cuenta de una mayor demanda y unos precios del petróleo y de otros productos de exportación más altos. Frente al informe de abril el crecimiento de la demanda externa fue mejor que el esperado, y las proyecciones para 2021 y 2022 aumentaron del 5,2 % al 6,0 % y del 3,4 % al 3,5 %, respectivamente. En lo corrido del año las cifras de actividad económica muestran una demanda externa más dinámica de la esperada. En los Estados Unidos y China la recuperación del producto ha sido más rápida que la registrada en los países de la región. En estos últimos la reactivación económica ha estado limitada por los rebrotes del Covid-19, las limitaciones en la oferta de vacunas y el poco espacio fiscal para enfrentar la pandemia, entre otros factores. La buena dinámica en el comercio externo de bienes se ha dado en un entorno de deterioro en las cadenas de valor y de un aumento importante en los precios de las materias primas y en el costo de los fletes. En los Estados Unidos la inflación sorprendió al alza y su valor observado y esperado se mantiene por encima de la meta, al tiempo que se incrementó la proyección de crecimiento económico. Con esto, el inicio de la normalización de la política monetaria en ese país se daría antes de lo proyectado. En este informe se estima que el primer incremento en la tasa de interés de la Reserva Federal de los Estados Unidos se dé a finales de 2022 (antes del primer trimestre de 2023). Para Colombia se supone una mayor prima de riesgo frente al informe de abril y se sigue esperando que presente una tendencia creciente, dada la acumulación de deuda pública y externa del país. Todo esto contribuiría a un incremento en el costo del financiamiento externo en el horizonte de pronóstico. La postura expansiva de la política monetaria sigue soportando unas condiciones financieras internas favorables. En el segundo trimestre la tasa de interés interbancaria y el índice bancario de referencia (IBR) se han mantenido acordes con la tasa de interés de política. Las tasas de interés promedio de captación y crédito continuaron históricamente bajas, a pesar de algunos incrementos observados a finales de junio. La cartera en moneda nacional detuvo su desaceleración anual y, entre marzo y junio, el crédito a los hogares se aceleró, principalmente para compra de vivienda. La recuperación de la cartera comercial y de los desembolsos a ese sector fue importante, y se alcanzó de nuevo el elevado saldo observado un año atrás, cuando las empresas requirieron niveles significativos de liquidez para enfrentar los efectos económicos de la pandemia. El riesgo de crédito aumentó, las provisiones se mantienes altas y algunos bancos han retirado de su balance una parte de su cartera vencida. No obstante, las utilidades del sistema financiero se han recuperado y sus niveles de liquidez y solvencia se mantienen por encima del mínimo regulatorio. A partir de este informe se implementará una nueva metodología para cuantificar y comunicar la incertidumbre que rodea los pronósticos del escenario macroeconómico central, en un entorno de política monetaria activa. Esta metodología se conoce como densidades predictivas (DP) y se explica en detalle en el Recuadro 1. Partiendo del balance de riesgos que contiene los principales factores que, de acuerdo con el juicio del equipo técnico, podrían afectar a la economía en el horizonte de pronóstico, la metodología DP produce distribuciones de probabilidad sobre el pronóstico de las principales variables (v. g.: crecimiento, inflación). Estas distribuciones reflejan el resultado de los posibles choques (a variables externas, precios y actividad económica) que podría recibir la economía y su transmisión, considerando la estructura económica y la respuesta de política monetaria en el futuro. En este sentido, permiten cuantificar la incertidumbre alrededor del pronóstico y su sesgo. El ejercicio DP muestra un sesgo a la baja en el crecimiento económico y en la brecha del producto, y al alza en la inflación. El balance de riesgos indica que las disyuntivas para la política monetaria serán potencialmente más complejas que lo contemplado en el pasado. Por el lado de las condiciones de financiamiento externo, se considera que el mayor riesgo es que se tornen un poco menos favorables, en un escenario en el cual la Reserva Federal de los Estados Unidos incremente con mayor prontitud su tasa de interés. Esto último, ante un crecimiento económico y del empleo mayor que el esperado en los Estados Unidos que genere presiones significativas sobre la inflación de ese país. A esto se suma la incertidumbre sobre el panorama fiscal en Colombia y sus efectos sobre la prima de riesgo y el costo del financiamiento externo. En el caso del crecimiento, la mayoría de los riesgos son a la baja, destacándose los efectos de la incertidumbre política y fiscal sobre las decisiones de consumo e inversión, la aparición de nuevas olas de contagio de la pandemia del Covid-19 y sus impactos sobre la actividad económica. En el caso de la inflación, se incorporó el riesgo de una mayor persistencia de los choques asociados con la disrupción de las cadenas de valor, mayores precios internacionales de las materias primas y de los alimentos, y una recuperación más lenta que la esperada de la cadena agrícola nacional afectada por los pasados bloqueos a las vías. Estos riesgos presionarían al alza principalmente los precios de los alimentos y de los bienes. Como principal riesgo a la baja se incluyó un alza de los arriendos menor que el esperado en el escenario central, explicada por una demanda débil y por una mayor oferta en 2022 dadas las altas ventas de vivienda observadas en el presente año. Con todo, el crecimiento económico presenta un sesgo a la baja y, con el 90 % de confianza, se encontraría entre un 6,1 % y 9,1 % para 2021 y entre el 0,5 % y 4,1 % para 2022. La brecha del producto tendría un sesgo a la baja, principalmente en 2022. El sesgo de la inflación es al alza, y se encontraría entre el 3,7 % y 4,9 % en 2021, y el 2,2 % y 4,7 % en 2022, con un 90 % de probabilidad. 1.2 Decisión de política monetaria En las reuniones de junio y julio la JDBR decidió mantener la tasa de política monetaria inalterada en 1,75 %.

Abstract: the proposed business didactic game is aimed at developing the creative attitude of the teacher to his own professional activity. The motivational material of a business didactic game allows the teacher to understand that his activity has sometimes elusive pedagogical algorithms and strategies, the totality of which can be called such a concept as an individual methodological style of activity. In addition to pedagogical strategies, this concept reflects the unique psychological qualities of the individual, which allow the teacher to influence the quality of the acquired knowledge. It is also emphasized that the concept of an individual style of activity is the result of the teacher's internal hard work, the result of a long search, value. On this basis, the individual style of activity rejects the concept of "charisma", since it is self-sufficient and does not need to be theatrically announced to any audience. All the value bases of an individual methodological style of activity are aimed not at narcissism, but at helping students in mastering the internal content of a particular academic subject. The leading sign of the formation of an individual methodological style of activity is the ability to correctly combine one's original author's position on the content principles of the taught subject with the guiding and prescriptive lines of the work program. The author's position of the teacher, which combines the emotional and rational components, is also reflected in external behavioral mechanisms. At the same time, expressive forms of behavior are not a mandatory feature of the individual style of methodological activity. A special style of preparing educational material, a list of methods and forms of teaching is structured on the basis of a situational understanding of the subtle mechanisms of teaching, educating and developing schoolchildren

Research activities in both our laboratories were directed toward development of control of the FLP/frt recombination system for plants. As described in the text of the research proposal, the US lab has been engaged in developing regulatory strategies such as tissue-specific promoters and the steroid-inducible activation of the FLP enzyme while the main research activities in Israel have been directed toward the development and testing of a copper-regulated expression of flp recombinase in tobacco (this is an example of a promoter activation by metal ions). The Israeli lab hat additionally completed experiments of previous studies regarding factors affecting the efficiency of recombinase activity using both a gain-of-function assay (excisional-activation of a gusA marker) and loss of function assay (excision of a rolC marker) in tobacco. Site-specific recombinase systems, in particular the FLP/frt and R/RS systems of yeast and the Cre/lox system of bacteriophage P1, have become an essential component of targeted genetic transformation procedures both in animal and plant organisms. To provide more flexibility in transgene excisions by the recombinase systems as well as gene targeting, and to widen possible applications, the development of controlled or regulated recombination systems is highly desirable and was therefore the subject of this research proposal. There are a few possible mechanisms to regulate expression of a recombinase system. They include: 1) control of the recombination system by having the target sites (e.g. frt) in one plant and the flp recombinase gene in another, and bringing the two together by cross fertilization. 2) regulation of promoter activities by external stimuli such as temperature, chemicals, metal ions, etc. 3) regulation of promoter activities by internal signals, i.e. cell- or tissue-specific, or developmental regulation. 4) regulation of enzyme activity by providing cofactors essential for biochemical reactions to take place such as steroid molecules in conjunction with a steroid ligand-binding protein (domains). During the course of this research our major emphasis have been focused toward studying the feasibility of hybrid seed production in Arabidopsis, using FLP/frt. Male-sterility was induced using the antisence of a pollen- and tapetum-specific gene, bcp1, isolated from Arabidopsis. The sterility inducing gene was flanked by frt sites. Upon cross pollination of flowers of male-sterile plants with pollen from FLP-containing plants, viable seeds were produced, and the progeny hybrid plants developed normally. The major achievement from this work is the first demonstration of using a site-specific recombinase to restore fertility in male-sterile plants (see attached paper, Luo et al., Plant J 2000; 23:423-430). The implication from this finding is that site-specific recombination systems can be applied in crop plants as a useful alternative method for hybrid seed production.

A nivel mundial, en los últimos años se ha observado un incremento en la cantidad de información que se transporta, se almacena y se procesa en Internet, esto debido no sólo a la cantidad de usuarios es también por el uso de diferentes dispositivos de cada individuo (1] Hoy se cuenta con diferentes componentes conectados a Internet que generan entregan y/o reciben 1nformac1on para hacer nuestras vidas mas fáciles (2) Información como la del GPS de nuestros celulares (para ayudarnos a tomar me1ores decisiones para viajar de un punto a otro). El ritmo cardiaco que detectan los relojes inteligentes para estar pendientes de a salud. Esta información es entregada a internet a servidores que almacenan la información, realizan análisis matemat1cos y devuelven j información relevante para cada usuario [3] La información crece tanto como los dispositivos conectados a Internet. sin embargo se ha observado que las capacidades de transportar esta información no crece al mismo ritmo que crecen los dispositivos y su información La institución no está exenta a este crecimiento y esto se puede percibir en los problemas de red que en ocasiones se presentan y que se aprecian como demora al navegar o fallas en las comunicaciones hacia algunas aplicaciones [4]. El proyecto tiene varios objetivos, tanto para la institución como para el desarrollo del presente proyecto El principal objetivo es aprovechar la información que generan y/o reciben los dispositivos loT (Internet de las cosas, por sus siglas en inglés) desde y hacia Internet, encontrar la utilización de los recursos de los dispositivos loT que hacen uso de los recursos de red en la Institución (cámaras web, sensores, accesos a la institución, etc.), desarrollar y llevar a cabo una encuesta en la Institución que permita hacer una muestra de la cantidad de dispositivos (smartphones, tablets smartwatches. gafas, portátiles. etc.) que utilizan los alumnos docentes y administrativos Obtener información de los dispositivos loT externos (que no se encuentren dentro de las instalaciones de la institución) pero que sean utilizados desde la red interna del Instituto.

Many phytopathogenic bacteria use a type III protein secretion system (T3SS) to inject type III effectors into plant cells. In the experiments supported by this one-year feasibility study we investigated type III effector function in plants by using two contrasting bacterial pathogens: Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, a necrotrophic pathogen and Pantoea agglomerans, a tumorigenic pathogen. The objectives are listed below along with our major conclusions, achievements, and implications for science and agriculture. Objective 1: Compare Pseudomonas syringae and Pantoea agglomerans type III effectors in established assays to test the extent that they can suppress innate immunity and incite tumorigenesis. We tested P. agglomerans type III effectors in several innate immunity suppression assays and in several instances these effectors were capable of suppressing plant immunity, outputs that are suppressed by P. syringae effectors. Interestingly, several P. syringae effectors were able to complement gall production to a P. agglomerans pthGmutant. These results suggest that even though the disease symptoms of these pathogens are dramatically different, their type III effectors may function similarly. Objective 2: Construct P. syringae mutants in different combinations of type III-related DNA clusters to reduce type III effector redundancy. To determine their involvement in pathogenicity we constructed mutants that lack individual and multiple type III-related DNA clusters using a Flprecombinase-mediated mutagenesis strategy. The majority of single effector mutants in DC3000 have weak pathogenicity phenotypes most likely due to functional redundancy of effectors. Supporting this idea, Poly-DNAcluster deletion mutants were more significantly reduced in their ability to cause disease. Because these mutants have less functional redundancy of type III effectors, they should help identify P. syringae and P. agglomerans effectors that contribute more significantly to virulence. Objective 3: Determine the extent that P. syringae and P. agglomerans type III effectors alter hormone levels in plants. Inhibition of auxin polar transport by 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) completely prevented gall formation by P. agglomerans pv. gypsophilae in gypsophila cuttings. This result supported the hypothesis that auxin and presumably cytokinins of plant origin, rather than the IAA and cytokinins secreted by the pathogen, are mandatory for gall formation. Transgenic tobacco with pthGshowed various phenotypic traits that suggest manipulation of auxin metabolism. Moreover, the auxin levels in pthGtransgenic tobacco lines was 2-4 times higher than the control plants. External addition of auxin or cytokinins could modify the gall size in gypsophila cuttings inoculated with pthGmutant (PagMx27), but not with other type III effectors. We are currently determining hormone levels in transgenic plants expressing different type III effectors. Objective 4: Determine whether the P. agglomerans effectors HsvG/B act as transcriptional activators in plants. The P. agglomerans type III effectors HsvG and HsvB localize to the nucleus of host and nonhost plants and act as transcription activators in yeast. Three sites of adjacent arginine and lysine in HsvG and HsvB were suspected to act as Nuclear localization signals (NLS) domains. A nuclear import assay indicated two of the three putative NLS domains were functional NLSs in yeast. These were shown to be active in plants by fusing HsvG and HsvB to YFP. localization to the nucleus was dependent on these NLS domains. These achievements indicate that our research plan is feasible and suggest that type III effectors suppress innate immunity and modulate plant hormones. This information has the potential to be exploited to improve disease resistance in agricultural crops.